Bitter Sweet (1933)

August 24, 1933

Many Stars of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Firmament In the Film Version of "Dinner at Eight."

By MORDAUNT HALL.M.H.

Published: August 24, 1933

With its remarkable array of histrionic talent and with George Cukor at the helm, the film adaption of the play, "Dinner at Eight," which was offered last night by Metro-Croldwyn-Mayer at the Astor, could scarcely help being successful. And it lives up to every expectation, even though a few of the unforgettable lines penned by George S. Kaufman and Edna Ferber have been lost in the general shuffle. The picture clings as closely as possible to the original, and the many opportunities along cinematic lines have been fully appreciated by Mr. Cukor and others responsible for the offering.

This "Dinner at Eight" has a cast of twenty-five, and among the players are most of the stellar lights of the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios, besides a few borrowed from other companies. It is one of those rare pictures which keeps you in your seat until the final fade-out, for nobody wants to miss one of the scintillating lines.

It is a fast-moving narrative with its humor and tragedy, one that offers a greater variety of characterizations than have been witnessed in any other picture. Some are polished and others decidedly rough and ready. They range from Mrs. Oliver Jordan, the snobbish hostess, who is wrapped up in the dinner she is giving for Lord and Lady Ferncliffe, to the scheming Dan Packard and his wife, Kitty, who in the play was said to talk "pure spearmint." But there is a reason in all cases for inviting the guests.

A strong line of drama courses through the story notwithstanding the flip dialogue. The picture runs along with a steady flow of unusually well knit incidents, which are woven together most expertly toward the end. This is owing to the fine writing of Mr. Kaufman and Miss Ferber, and it might easily be said that the wonder would be that anybody could go askew in turning such a play into pictorial form.

Veteran players of the stage, who have since been won over to talking pictures, are the principal assets in this film. It is a great pleasure to behold Marie Dressler away from her usual rôles, dressed in the height of fashion and given lines that aroused gales of mirth from the first-night audience.

Miss Dressier acts Carlotta Vance, the stage beauty of the mauve decade. Carlotta is a woman of much common sense who has a retort for every quip made to her. When one woman, obviously well on in years, hints that she was a child when she first saw Carlotta, the former actress ends the conversation by suggesting that they talk about the Civil War. Carlotta has her Pekingese dogs, one of which boasts of the name of Tarzan.

Another stage favorite of old is Billie Burke, who appears as the handsome Mrs. Oliver Jordan. A week before the dinner in honor of the Ferncliffes, she is worrying about the affair, making sure that there will not be the slightest hitch. An orchestra is ordered, extra servants hired and, when the morning of the dinner comes around, an aspic in the form of a lion is made. Little does Mrs. Jordan think that her dinner is going to be a memorable fiasco.

Lionel Barrymore fills the part of Mr. Jordan, whose mind is more concerned about money matters and his steamship line than his wife's dinner. His brother John is best as Larry Renauld, the motion picture actor who brags of having earned $8,000 a week at one time, while he has only 7 cents to his name.

The scenes depicting Dan Packard, played by Wallace Beery, and Kitty, his ash-blonde wife, acted by Jean Harlow, are filled with gruff fun. There is hardly a moment while they are at home when the air is not filled with acrimonious accusations and retorts. Kitty rather likes the idea of blossoming out in society, while Dan's heart is set on being a big gun in politics. Edmund Lowe impersonates Dr. Wayne Talbot, who is infatuated with Kitty, one of his patients.

Mrs. Jordan's state of mind can well be imagined when she hears over the telephone that the Ferncliffes are unable to attend the dinner as they are on their way to Florida. Added to this are other troubles, including the tragic end of Larry Renault, who, unknown to Mrs. Jordan, had had an affair with her daughter, Paula.

Miss Dressler is splendid as the wise Carlotta. Miss Burke's contribution to the story is all one could wish. She is the personification of an anxious hostess at one moment and subsequently a deeply disappointed woman. John Barrymore tackles his rôle with his usual artistry. His acting during Larry's last moments is most effective. Mr. Beery fits into the rôle of Dan Packard as though it were written especially for him and Miss Harlow makes the most of the part of Kitty. Lionel Barrymore is suave and sympathetic. Edmund Lowe does quite well as Dr. Talbot.

It was a grand evening, an entertainment that caused one to forget about the deluge outside.

Herbert Wilcox, one of London's most experienced directors, is responsible for the British and Dominions pictorial translation of Noel Coward's operetta, "Bitter Sweet," which was launched yesterday at the Rivoli. It is an artistic production and its scenes are set forth with gratifying elegance and sober fluency to the frequent accompaniment of tuneful music and singing.

Anna Neagle, a lovely English actress who has played in other British films and also on the stage in this city, undertakes the rôle of Sarah Linden, created on the stage by Evelyn Laye. She gives a sympathetic and capable performance and also sings most agreeably.

The romance of "Bitter Sweet" is somewhat tame, notwithstanding the tragic demise of the hero, Carl Linden. It is, however, one one those flashback fables which probably will appeal to many. Imagination and comedy are not strong points in the film, but it is one which is never irritating, for it is better to have the gentle fun as it is done here than find its gramourous figures descending to rowdyism.

It is the story of Sarah Linden's romance. She tells it as a grayhaired woman to a girl who is on the eve of marrying an obnoxious man of wealth when she really is in love with a musician. The girl's case parallels that of Sarah and she proceeds to relate her tale, beginning with the happenings in London and then telling of her elopement with Linden to Vienna, where he eventually becomes the leader of an orchestra in a cabaret run by a rotund person known as Herr Schlick.

Mr. Coward's musical compositions, rendered at various stages, include, "If Love Were All," "Little Cafe," "Tokay," "Kiss Me," "What Is Love?" and "Bonnie Nuit, Merci." The first named ballad is heard several times. "Tokay" is nicely sung, first as a solo and then by a chorus made up of everybody in Herr Schlick's extremely prosperous café.

Fernand Graavey, a Continental player, portrays Carl quite effectively and Miles Mander is splendid as a philandering army officer. Ivy St. Helier, arrayed very much like Yvette Guilbert of old, puts a little gayety into the café scenes with her bickering with Hen Schlick and also by singing French and English melodies. Clifford Heatherley is cast as Schlick and it is rather disappointing that he does not succeed in affording more mirth.